The civil rights movement fought for equality among different peoples, with a focus on African Americans in the United States between 1950 and the early 1990s. Martin Luther King Jr. was a key leader who used peaceful protests to end discrimination and promote suffrage. The movement’s roots can be traced back to slavery and the Civil War, and violence increased with segregation. Legislation eventually passed to desegregate and ensure suffrage, and workplace discrimination began to dissipate with affirmative action.
The civil rights movement can refer to different events, political actions, protests and campaigns around the world that have worked for equality among some peoples, but it most often refers to the civil rights movement in the United States. Most of the events associated with the civil rights movement took place between 1950 and the early 1990s, although the fight for equal rights continued over the decades. African Americans have struggled for equal rights over these decades, and several key leaders and events have occurred during these years to promote and eventually bring about equal rights, though the struggles remain.
Leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. were instrumental in the success and momentum of the civil rights movement. He worked to end discrimination against African Americans in the United States, particularly in the Deep South where racism was deeply rooted. The civil rights movement also aimed to allow for suffrage among African Americans. King’s methods involved peaceful, nonviolent protests and fiery speeches intended to rally the masses. His influence was crucial to the movement’s partial success, even though he was assassinated before he could reap most of the benefits himself.
While the movement mostly took place in the mid to late 20th century, the roots of the movement can be traced back to the Civil War and much earlier as well. Slavery in the United States was common and accepted throughout the country’s history, and African Americans were afforded little or no rights. During the Civil War, slaves were allowed to join the Union Army, thus granting them freedom from slavery. This caused a great rift in the country that lasted for more than a century, and although slaves were granted freedom, they still did not hold the same rights as white Americans.
Violence has increased with the prevalence of segregation, the separation of blacks and whites in society. African Americans were not allowed to use the same restrooms, water fountains, or even sections of public transportation as whites. Crimes against African Americans have increased especially in the South, and desegregation has only caused more violence and rhetoric. The civil rights movement continued despite the violence, and legislation was eventually passed to desegregate and ensure suffrage among African Americans. Schools that were previously considered all-white now accepted African-American students. Workplace discrimination slowly began to dissipate, and controversial practices such as affirmative action were put in place to give African Americans equal employment opportunities.
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